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Accessibility Services

Lasell University is committed to helping students achieve academic and personal success, both in and out of the classroom environment. The mission of the Office of Accessibility Services is to assist all students, including individuals with disabilities, to fully access the academic, residential, and social aspects of student life at Lasell University.

Accessibility Support

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the University provides accommodations for eligible students with documented disabilities to afford equal access to educational programs and services in order to help students fully access the academic, residential, and social aspects of the student experience

How to Request Accommodations

Campus Accessibility Resources

Lasell aims to support all students and provides assistance through counseling, health services, academic support, and more.

Campus Accessibility Resources

Disability Disclosure

It is the individual student’s responsibility to formally disclose a disability to the Institution and to follow the appropriate process to request and access accommodations as needed. Lasell University recognizes the right of the student to determine who receives disability-related information as well as the right to confidentiality. Upon review and determination of appropriate academic accommodations the student is responsible for follow-up with his/her individual faculty member(s). Lasell University ensures FERPA compliance, and therefore all documentation submitted to Disability Services will remain confidential.

Section 504 Of The Rehabilitation Act Of 1973 And The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 protects the rights of individuals with disabilities in programs and activities that receive federal funds.  Section 504 (as amended, 29 U.S.C. 794) states: “No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States . . . shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability. According to this law, disability is defined as “a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity.”

Section 504 Disability Grievance Procedure


Section 508 Of The Rehabilitation Act And The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act mandates that federal agencies make electronic information accessible to members of the public with disabilities, as well as employees with disabilities.  Section 508 applies to Lasell University and certain colleges and universities that receive federal funding.  In 2015, the United States Access Board initiated an update of Section 508's Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards resulting in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 (WCAG 2.0) established a minimum web accessibility benchmark.

Report a Web Accessibility Concern

Additional References

U.S. Department of Education (DOE)  
U.S. Office for Civil Rights (OCR) 

Contact Accessibility Services

Stephen Hawthorne
Director of Accessibility Services and Academic Support
shawthorne@lasell.edu
617-243-2212